1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seals, and more particularly to radial seals for sealing a space about the rotatable shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radial shaft seals are generally known and typically include a seal member with an inner circumferential “sealing surface”, which may be provided by an annular lip or a cylindrical portion of the seal body, that is engageable with the exterior surface of a shaft. As the shaft rotates within the seal, the sealing surface remains in sliding contact with the shaft outer surface to prevent the migration of substances (e.g., oil, debris particles) through a sealed space.
As a result of use, however, the sealing surface eventually wears, resulting in the replacement of the entire shaft seal. Seal replacement can be a time-consuming and costly task, requiring the shaft around which the seal operates to be shut down for an extended period of time while the old seal is removed and the new seal is installed. It would be beneficial to have a seal that provides the ability to replace only the sealing lip, thereby reducing the time and expense for such maintenance.